Patient education is often unhelpful and anxiety inducing.  Information from Internet sources is misleading, and the majority of patients do not have access to thought leaders. 

Matthew B. Stern, MD, Mediflix

When you were first diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, where did you go to for information? Depending on when you were diagnosed, your doctor may have given you some brochures from one or two PD organizations, if she gave you anything at all. You might have found a couple of organizations on the internet and a blogger or two. But usually, it was a trip to the library or local bookstore to get a book about PD. Or your doctor still might not have given you much information, but there were dozens of websites and 200+ blogs on the internet, representing many different points of view. Some good, some not so good. So many choices. So confusing!

Streaming Patient Education

In January, Mediflix made its debut, with the goal of providing a new platform for patient education. Mediflix? You mean Netflix, don’t you? No, Mediflix, a new streaming service that you can access through its website on any connected device. Like Netflix, you can stream movies, documentaries and more. But the difference is that everything on Mediflix is about living with a life changing illness. And it is free.

Mediflix is the brainchild of Steve Leber, a music impresario and producer, agent and manager for the Rolling Stones, Diana Ross, Aerosmith and many more.  He teamed up with three other founders – CEO Neil Braun, former NBC TV president and CEO of Viacom Entertainment, Steve Scheffer, former president of HBO Films and Ron Berk, direct response television producer and entrepreneur.  They have joined forces with a team of leading medical specialists, including Dr. Matt Stern. Launched in January 2021, each season will focus on a different health condition. The first season focuses on Parkinson’s Disease. There are stories about patients, movies about Parkinsons Disease, panel discussions with experts in the field and more. And, did I say, it is free? No monthly fees. Nada. Zilch.

Matthew Stern, MD*, is the program director, Mediflix: Parkinson’s Edition. According to Stern, Mediflix helps Parkinson’s patients better understand and manage their condition.  He says that Mediflix is the first free streaming video service offering health education that entertains as well as informs – a unique blend of expert-vetted information, original series, films and documentaries providing advice and inspiration. 

Personal Stories about People with Parkinson’s

Mediflix Originals are personal stories about people with Parkinson’s. The first two stories about Jeff and Donna are available now. These are real people dealing with Parkinson’s. Their stories are familiar to all of us who live with PD every day and it was easy to relate to what they were talking about. Each episode also includes a round table discussion with experts who discuss some of the issues that each patient faces. There are more episodes to come soon. Videos with information on diagnosis, different symptoms and treatments, and round table discussions on different topics with experts in the field are also available. Take time to explore the different options. I am sure you will learn something.

You are not alone.

I had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Stern last week. He is very excited about this new venture and the opportunity to provide unprecedented access to an expert medical community, as well as reliable information that delivers both advice and inspiration with original programs about people who are living well with Parkinson’s disease. He had looked at what was on the internet and found that so much of the information about Parkinson’s is wrong or misleading. His task is to get you the right information so that you can live better with PD. He stressed that the key message of Mediflix is that no matter what stage you are in, no matter what symptoms you have, you are not alone.

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There’s still time to join the red letter campaign to D.C.

Here is an opportunity to use your voice and be heard.

The authors of the Ending Parkinson’s Disease book and the PD Avengers want to find out what would happen if thousands of people from the Parkinson’s community wrote to the White House?
Register now for your free red letter to send to the White House on March 16th. We are hoping a pile of a thousand or more red letters in the White House mail room will get the attention of someone with the last name Biden. All the details are below. Share this with your friends, family, colleagues and care teams.
All the details on the Red Letter Campaign and the LIVE EVENT on March 16, including registration, is available at www.endingpd.org.

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*Matthew B. Stern, MD – program director, Mediflix: Parkinson’s Edition

Professor emeritus of neurology, Dr. Stern taught in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania for 35 years before retiring in 2017. He was director and co-founder of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center on campus, recognized by the National Parkinson Foundation as one of its worldwide centers of excellence.  Renowned for his work in the study of Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Stern was the founding director of the Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center (PADRECC), at the Philadelphia department of Veterans Affairs, one of six VA centers nationwide dedicated to providing clinical care, education and support for veterans with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.  A community leader for over a decade, Dr. Stern was a member of the clinical scientific advisory board of the National Parkinson Foundation, co-founded the Panorama Patient Network and was past president of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.